Continuous and discontinuous multi-generational disturbances of tetrabromobisphenol A on longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Fuwen Liu; Xue Cao; Fuxiang Tian; Jingxian Jiang; Kuangfei Lin; Junjie Cheng; Xiaojun Hu

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114522

Continuous and discontinuous multi-generational disturbances of tetrabromobisphenol A on longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2023 Feb:251:114522. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114522. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

Authors

Fuwen Liu¹, Xue Cao², Fuxiang Tian³, Jingxian Jiang³, Kuangfei Lin⁴, Junjie Cheng³, Xiaojun Hu⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
² College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: caoxue@szu.edu.cn.
³ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China.
⁴ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
⁵ School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China. Electronic address: hu-xj@sit.edu.cn.

PMID: 36628875
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114522

Abstract

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is one of the most prevalently used brominated flame retardants. Due to its persistence, it is predominantly found in environmental matrices and has the potential to generate multi-generational toxicity. However, knowledge of its adaptive response or long-term residual effect in multi-generations, and molecular mechanisms remain understudied. In the current study, the model animal nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was exposed to TBBPA at environmentally realistic concentrations (0.1-1000 μg L^-1) for four consecutive generations (G₀ to G₃). Degenerative age-related multiple endpoints including lifespan, locomotion behaviors, growth, reproduction, oxidative stress-related biochemical responses, cell apoptosis, and stress related gene expressions were assessed in the continuous exposure generations (G₀ and G₃) and the discontinuously exposed generations (T₃ and T'₃). The results showed that changes in degenerative age-related response monitored four generations varied in direction and magnitude depending on the TBBPA concentrations, and the response intensify ranked as G₀ > T'₃/G₃ > T₃. TBBPA at 1 μg L^-1 dosage was detected as the lowest observed effect concentration in multi-biomarkers. The underlying mechanism of aging phenotypes was that reactive oxygen species accumulation led to cell apoptosis regulated by gene ape-1, and confirmed catalase enzyme and superoxide dismutase activity played a crucial role in the detoxification process of TBBPA at the molecular level. This study provided insights into the underlying mechanism of TBBPA-interfered longevity and its environmental multi-generational potential risks.

Keywords: C. elegans; Cell Apoptosis; Lifespan; Multi-generational effect; TBBPA.

MeSH terms

Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans
Flame Retardants* / toxicity
Longevity
Oxidative Stress
Polybrominated Biphenyls* / toxicity

Substances

tetrabromobisphenol A
Polybrominated Biphenyls
Flame Retardants